Sword Art Online Alternative: Dragon Cleric
by TristMB
Summary: What if that fateful encounter between the Black Swordsman and the Dragon Tamer was far different with different motives and a vastly different Aincrad. (Kirito/Silica) M to be safe


**Sword Art Online: Dragon Cleric**

**Chapter 1: The Dragon Cleric meets Beater Knight**

**0-0-0**

**December 25, 2023**

**46th Floor**

《You've receive a gift from Sachi》

O/X Do you accept?

A notification that lit up a dark room of an Inn. The only resident of the room rose up from his grieving to look at the notification. His lifeless eyes lit up upon seeing the name Sachi.

Kirito accepted the gift without any hesitation. A crystal recorder materailizes.

Kirito clicked to play it.

The crystal showed Sachi the person Kirito desperately tried to revive.

"Merry Chiristmas, Kirito-kun. If you got this message, I'm probably dead..."

**0-0-0**

2 Months Later

**0-0-0**

**February 7, 2024**

**Around Mignight**

**35th Floor, Wandering Forest**

Keiko hated the fact that people saw her as an accessory only to be used like a healing battery by the parties she joined.

Being one of the few rare clerics in SAO had its perks and having a auto-healing dragon familiar she was basically an idol among the lower player players in SAO.

During launch day many players chose the DPS based classes such as the Warrior, Barbarian, Sorceror and Rouge. And, only around 19% of the 1,790,000 intial population of SAO were tanks and support classes.

At first people dismissed this fact since why do we need healers when healing items exists. But, Large Potions were losing effectivenss by the 10th Floor since healing item didn't healed by percentage values the game uses absolute values instead.

Alchemist players alleviated the problem by making player-made potion that was far better than potions NPC's made. They introduced the stat buff potions as well. But, their healing potency was starting to wane in the higher floors.

The frontlines always had a scarcity for tanks and supports. Warriors and Barbarians can be tank subtitutes, but they could not best the aggro control and bulk of a Knight, and many are reluctant in being a frontline because of their role line of deatg all of the time.

Sorcerors can only use Damage Spells and no supports skills whatsoever. Ranger could have acess to the Lesser Heal of the Clerics but that was just a Level 1 Spell that only healed for 5%. Not unlike the Cleric's 25% heal that can be turned into a 15% area heal in a 5-meter radius and that was a Lv.1 skill for a Cleric.

In summary there was a massive shortage of Cleric and Knight class players in the frontlines.

Keiko just so happenes to be part of the minority.

Earlier Keiko or Silica was being bad-mouthed by Rosalia, the bitch.

She said that she was just a heal bot. And, she said she was only famous because she was just a worthless healer.

It stung Silica the wrong way. She never wanted to be an idol to the lower floors, she wanted this nightmare of a game to end. So, she tried to get stronger to be in the frontlines. But, her progress was sluggish it was disheartening to be still Lv.32 since it's hard to get Exp as a support because you need to deal the most damage or deal the last blow to get the 2x Exp modifier. But, being a dedicated healer she had a more passive role so she gets the least amount exp in all of her encounters.

She kept the party alive with her spells and Rosalia just spat on all of her efforts?! So, she just left the party without any fanfare.

To prove she was more than a heal-bot Silica will clear this dungeon alone. It was a horrible decision.

But, in hindsight it was a rash and idiotic decision of her to leave her party for petty reasons in the middle of a dungeon.

And, now she was trapped in the boss area with a crystal nullification zone with the strongest enemies the floor had to offer. And, she was 5 levels below the recomended level for this dungeon.

A 《Drunken Ape》 swung its large club at her. But, she dodged it and stabbed the ape with her spear. The ape suffered a fatal blow and it was killed.

'This is very bad.' Silica thought.

There were at least a dozen more Drunken Apes that was still surrounding her. And, she barely killed one within the last 15 minutes. And, her HP was on the low-orange with her MP running on near-empty and that was barely enough for another 《Lesser Heal》. All of her recovery items were spent. She was in a fight for her life.

Silica failed to noticed a 《Drunken Ape Chieftain》that leaped at her and made a large swing with its metal cudgel.

Silica took a brutal hit from the Drunken Apes Chieftain and that sent her flying towards a tree trunk. Her HP was sent to the low red and a armor durability warning popped-up in her UI. And, the worst thing was that the hit took off both of her legs off and her left arm. While it didn't hurt she was essentially crippled until she gets at least a half-days rest to recover her limbs.

Silica was hyperventilating, is this where she's going to die?! Was this the end.

The Chieftain positioned his cudgel preparing to smash her to bits.

Silca closed her eyes accepting her death.

But, the hit never came. She heard something got hit and it made an audile digusting crunch of bones. And, a loud explosion.

Silica opened her eyes and saw before her the Chieftain dead but her beloved familiar, Pina heavily injured in-front her and her HP plumenting to dangerous levels.

"No no no, Pina please speak to me." Silica crawled to where Pina was.

Silica held the battered dragon on her right arm.

"Pina please hold on! Stay strong for me!" Silica said.

"Heal!"

《Insufficient Mana》The system said.

"Heal!!"

《Insuffiecient Mana》

"I said HEAL!!!" Silica screamed desperately.

《Insuffiecient Mana》

"kyuu..." The Feathered Dragon weakly whimpered.

She fell limps in her arms and she vanished in a explosion of blue pixels.

Leaving only a single feather in her place.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Silica cried out for the death of her companion.

Silica felt empty, Pina was the only reason she was still going through this nightmare. Pina gave her comfort and conpanionship in this lonely world that saw her as an item to be used. She was aware how dumb of her to be attached to a creature that is made of data, but to her Pina was a true friend through and through.

Tha Drunken Apes made their approached towards her and readied a death blow towards Silica.

Silica thought, 'Maybe, I wasn't meant to get out...'

Silica closed her eyes and accepted her fate.

But, before the blow could connect. A javelin struck the Ape thus, killing the Drunken Ape instantly.

Another was cut down by a Dark Greatsword with great speed. The mysterious person cleaved 5 of the Apes in half in one stroke.

Keiko couldn't see very well, since her vision was blurring until she just fainted.

She could hear the faint sound of a sword cutting down the monster.

**0-0-0**

Silica felt herself waking up. She can't 'feel' both of her legs and left arm that was amputated.

'I'm not dead.' Silica thought.

《30 Minutes has pass since you lost consciousness》 The HUD noted.

She ignored that, she instead notice the stranger in navy blue half-plate armour, with tattered pieces of a cloak around him. His features were covered by a horned helmet that covers his face.(Siegfried from Granblue Fantasy for reference.)

He was a lot taller than her, and maybe older than her. She admitted that she was unnaturally small for her age, she was 14 when SAO happened and now she was 15. What happened to her real body she always wondered was her growth stunted even further.

He sat by a log facing away from the fire and looking towards the moon. And, he was humming a song, he sounded solemn and sad. Silica felt intimidated by her armor-clad saviour, he this an imposing figure and he had a certain pressence to him.

"Hey?"

Her saviour shifted his whole body to face her.

"Ah, I see you're awake." He said his voice was intidimating due to the muffles of the helm.

Silica was spooked by his booming voice. She flinched from the voice.

"Sorry, I should have remove my helmet."

He removed the helmet and revealed a very handsome dark haired boy that was hidden underneath the helmet. He had a sharp jawline with sharp eyes to compliment it.

Silica couldn't help but gawk at the handsome teen in-front of her.

Silica stopped gawking at him and remembers what hadtranspired.

"Pina!" Silica screamed her familiar's name.

She imediately deflated as her eyes began to water, realizing her friend died for her.

Keiko began to sob as she tried to wipe her tears away with her only arm.

The teen merely observed to see what was the best course of action.

"You're a beast tamer aren't you." He said as he handed her a bluish-white feather.

The item was named 《Pina's Tears》

Silica held the feather and sob even further.

"I am sorry for your lost. I wish I could reach you a little earlier." He said while trying to comfort her by giving Silica a shoulder to cry on.

He unequip his breastplate and let Silica rest on the soft black gambeson underneath his armour, so Silica wasn't crying on cold metal.

Silica calmed down by this point but she was still teary-eyed.

"It's not your fault, I was so reckless and dumb that I got my friend killed. I'm sorry for being a crybaby." Silica said with a hint of self-deprecation.

For a moment Silica saw a panicked expression on her saviour's face, but he calmed down immediatedly.

"It's fine it's not very good to bottle up all of your feelings. I am here if you need something." the boy said while caressing the back of Silica's head.

The boy let Silica cry on his shoulder.

"There might be a way to revive your friend." the boy said.

"Really! How!?" Silica beamed as she asked the mysterious dark-haired knight.

"On the 47th Floor on the Hill of Remembrances their is an item that can revive fallen familiars. You must gather 7-pieces of the item that are dropped in a dungeon once per day."

"Thank you mister!" Silica hugged him as said thanks.

"Someday, I'll revive Pina once I'm strong enough for the 47th Floor." Silica said as she fondly looked on to the 《Pina's Memories》 item.

"I apologize for this. But, their is a timelimit of 1 weeks for you to gather the items. So, you only have 1 chance per day for you to gather the materials needed." The boy said with an apologetic expression.

Silica widen her eyes in shock.

"I won't make it in time to be strong enough for the 47th Floor."

"Don't worry I'll help you with your quest." the boy said with a smile.

Silica blushed from the sheer beauty this boy was exudimg.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself my name is Silica and thank for you saving me and helping me in reviving Pina."

"And, I am Kirito and the pleasures is all mine." Kirito politely said.

It was unfair on how he effortless acts princely. He was like a character from Silica's shoujo mangas.

"Are you staying in an Inn near this area?" Kirito asked.

"No, I haven't booked in an Inn in this area, I just arrived."

"That might be a problem, it's late and many Inns in the Village of Onsenshu near here are fully booked because many player like the Hotsprings here." Kirito said.

"I'll carry you there, I'll try to find a place where you rest so your legs can recover."

Kirito bridal carried Silica in his arms.

Silica blushed.

She didn't mind this development rather it was nice that someone wants to help her instead of the other way around.

"Are you uncomfortable, Silica-san. It seems I can only carry you in this way you might slip if I carried you in my back, sorry about that." Kirito politely asked.

"No, it's fine I don't want to spend the night here in a dungeon." Silica said.

Kirito opened his menu and procure two teleport crystal.

"Hold on to this."

Silica nodded.

"Link Teleport: Onsenshu." Kirito comanded.

Both of them disapeared in a sphere light leaving light particles in their place.

0-0-0

**Onsenshu, Teleport Pad**

Onsenshu had a Japanese-styled village with many traditional Japanese-styled buildings in the village. The village had this misty look to it and the FullDive tech replecated the moisture and humidity of the constant hotspring steam in the area.

Two notable landmarks was the large hotspring in the center of the village that acted as the hub of this floor and a 8 meter long Nodachi that was lodged in the front of the village as proof of the defeat of the Floor Boss, Shuten Douji. It was technically a weapon item but the STR needed to wield it was impossible to achieve. But, since the nodachi's blade can regenerate it can be harvested for materials and player can use that material to create the Douji Weapon and Armor Set.

Player activity was low in the village since it was pass midnight.

Silica was relieved that no one can see her like this. And, no one can say she was useless in a battle.

"Oh my, is that you Silica-chan." A feminine voice mockingly said.

Silica very well knew who it was.

Rosalia stood in-front of her and Kirito. The other male that were Silica's 'fans' looked more jealous of Kirito instead of being actually concerned of her, this irked Silica.

Luckily, they stayed silent.

"Oh my, Silica it seems you snagged someone very good looking."

Silica just angrily stared at Rosalia. If this weren't a safe-zone Silica would definitely stab this bitch. Orange cursor be damned.

"Where was that flying rat with you. Don't tell me it's already dead. Shame it would make a fantastic scarf for me." Rosalia began to laugh.

"Her name is Pina and she's my friend you monster." Silica spat out.

"You're just a small bitch being carried by a bigger dog, you have no actually worth other than being a walking heal potion. You're cute demeanor just attracts weirdos."

"That's not true!" Silica said back.

"You're even willingly put yourself in a pathetic state so this boy could easily take pity on you, such a shameless slu-"

"You know nothing about me!" Silica said.

Silca hands were shaking as she clung unto Kirito's gambeson.

Kirito had enough of this spat.

"You know the frontlines hold Clerics like her in high regard. They're more powerful than you think. It is true that they can be considered healers, but they can do devasting spells in higher levels. I like to see you try and be useful on the frontlines." Kirito said with a matter of factly tone.

"I am pretty sure that her intentions are much more purer than yours, Rosalia." Kirito said with a smirk.

Rosalia clicked her tongue and glared at Kirito dangerously

"You may be good-looking but, I don't associatiate with bottom feeders like you and her. Let's leave this creep and his worthless health pot." Rosalia left the two and her party members gone away with her while glaring at Kirito.

"Friends of yours? They seem very nice." Kirito sarcastically asked.

"No... Rosalia is just a jerk and those guys just see a cute mascot in me." Silica deflated.

"I see..."

"Don't worry about what she said, your more useful than you think." Kirito reassured Silica while giving her

Silica blushed.

"Thanks." Silica said with a smile.

**0-0-0**

Kirito and Silca's goals to find a place to sleep in was tedious. Every Inn they come across was full, but they eventually found one though it was very pricy for Silica's standards it had a rate of 600,000 col per person for one night. That was almost a weeks worth of farming for her. Another problem was the room that was given to them was a one bed for two persons.

Since this was the only available option for them, they took it. Kirito just paid for everything without a care.

Which made Silica wonder how much stronger is he compared to her.

Once they reached the room they were greeting by an orientally decorated room that was expected from a high-class Inn from Japan. A two-person futon was laid before them and an open-aired personal hotspring.

"I hope this room is to your liking, young man. If you require anything just call for one of my daughters and they'll assist you." the elderly hostess said.

"Thank you, That'll be all." Kirito said to the NPC.

"Ah, to be young. Don't be shy now, no one can hear you behind these walls." the elderly hostess slyly said.

She howled in laughter as she closed the door behind them.

Silica blushed wildly from the NPC's very suggestive comment.

Kirito had a tinge of a blush on his cheek.

Kirito cough to grab Silica's attention.

"Don't mind that! Most NPC's has a different set of lines if two player shared a room." Kirito calmly explained though his face betrayed him as his cheeks were tinted pink.

'Not only is he handsome, but he is also cute.' Silica is convinced some higher entity was toying with her by dangling a dreamy teen in-front of her, in her time of need.

"Y-yeah, right they're NPCs, what do they know, r-right?" Silica nervously said trying to fight off her blushing.

Kirito set Silica on the futon and he sighed.

"I suggest you change into something more comfortable, tattered battle armor isn't the best clothes to sleep on."

"About that..." Silica blushed hard.

Kirito facepalmed upon realising his mistake. Kayaba removed the Ethics Mode for all player above the age of 14, but the Ethics Mode is locked on players at ages below 13. Kirito thought Silica was younger than him, but he was wrong. That meant you had to manually equip your armor and clothes by hand.

"Sorry, I didn't know." said by a flustered Kirito.

"It's fine I wouldn't blame you if you thought that I was that young."

"I think I'll manage by myself."

"I'll wait outside just PM me if you're done." Kirito sent a party request to Silica.

Silica accepted it.

Kirito left the room.

**0-0-0**

Kirito sighed leaving the awkward situation he started.

He heard someone sneaking about the Inn. He went to where the noise was orginating, but before he could investigate they run off.

'Are they Rosalia's goons or Silica's stalkers?'

Kirito was very much aware who Silica was, thanks to a brief tip from a certain Rat.

Kirito had his reasons to help Silica. He didn't like the fact that he is using her as bait for Rosalia. But, it was for the sake of doing the right thing. Right?

Kirito wandered in his mind thinking why was he doing this. Ever since the Moonlit Cats, he stopped associating with people. Why now? Kirito hated that part of himself that help others out of kindness.

What was the point of his otherwise altruistic acts was it to proven something? Was he just a lunatic that helps people? Or was he overthinking this simple arrest quest turned bait and revive quest.

I̶̗̖̞͓̩̜̠͍̿̓̇͑̌̕̚͝t̴̡̙̩̰́̂̅̌̈́̽͐̎͛̿̌̕̚̕'̴̢̛̦̱͍̗̩̰͍̖̯̾̌̒̐̆̐̇̃̃s̶̤̮̙̉͂̅̈́͐̍͂̈́̊͝ ̴̜̗͍̯͎̎̔̀̋̾̾n̸̙̎̑̽o̷̖̤͈̫̫̩̮͌͌̾̉̒̊̽͒̈́̊̍̄͗̕͝ţ̷̛͔̞̤̲̹͔͍̜̹̤̬͙̅̊́̈̿̽̇̿̈͋̽̏̿ͅ ̷̙̰̣̳͋̉͜y̸̧̞̠̭̩̠̦̰̦̦͖̙͆̇͐̄̾͂̓̕͘̚͘͜ò̶̧̬̠͈̼̥̰̙͖̭͈̱͍̯̊̃̀́͛̈́̓̎̉̽̕̕͠ų̴̡̺̙̝̝͎̮͚̦̣̜͗̈́̈́̽̀̒̂͌͑̒̈̃͝ṟ̷̥̌̈́͘ ̸̨̨͇̺̠͇̇̊̏̔̍̈́̕͝f̸̧͖̤̱͇͎̯́̊͋͆͂̓̅̉̉̄͛̕a̸̗̾̐͋́̉̀̒̅͆u̴̮͒̾̌͒̚͠l̷̨̧͇̹̝͚͙̯̝̯̤̊́̆̏̈̊̑̉̋ţ̴̧̢̠͖̺͔̠̬͍̂̆̀̒̐̑͌̋

A image of that horrible day flashed into Kirito's mind.

"Gah!" Kirito held his fast beating heart. Kirito controling his breathing.

'Calm down, Kazuto. Silica won't die, I'll make sure of that...'

Kazuto questioned his motives for doing this side-quest. Was he helping Silica out of the kindness of his heart or was he using her to do a job?

'Sachi, was it okay for me to be good to others?' Kazuto asked no one.

Minutes passed before he was notified that it was okay to enter the room.

Kirito scanned the hallway one last time before entering the room.

Once, Kirito entered he sat by Silica's bedside.

"Was there any problem while I was gone?"

"Nothing, sure it was kinda tricky to put on these pajamas with one arm, but I managed."

"Right, here I'll give these to you."

Kirito selected some equipment in his inventory and gave it to Silica.

Silica opened the items and she was shocked to what she saw.

《Items Received》

《Red Silk Templar Armor Set》

《Def: 350 in total》

《Armor Class: Medium-Light Armor》

《Set Skills: Evasion Up Lv. 3, Speed Casting Lv.2, Heal Up Lv.5, and Poison Resist Lv.10》

《Templar's Spearstaff》

《Atk: 593 - 659》

《Weapon Skills: Effective against Undead and Unholy type monsters, Reduce Holy Fire's Mana Cost from 50 to 25, Reach Weapon, and Spellcaster Weapon.》

《Templar's Tome》

《Mana: 309》

《Mana Regen: 10.0 per Minute》

《Spell Slots: 21》

《Auxilliary Equipment Skill: Can cast Turn Undead for free 2x per day.》

《Soul Ring》

《Mana: 200》

《Acessory Skill: Grants wearer 1.5x more Exp》

These equipment several times more better than what she have right now. Silica was shocked that Kirito was giving her these frontline tier equipment.

This would make her 10x stronger than her actual level.

"Kirito this is too much. I can't give you anything in return for these."

"Take it, I can't use them anyways. I'm a Knight." Kirito said.

Silica sighed and just put the items in her inventory.

"Thank you, Kirito."

"I suggest we go to sleep so we can start the quest as soon as possible." Kirito said as he materialized a sleeping bag.

"Y-yeah, let's just do that." Silica awkwardly said as she covered herself in a blanket.

Kirito chuckled lightly as slept in his own sleeping bag.

**0-0-0**

"-it-"

"Ki-"

"Kirito!!!" A image of Sachi flashed in Kirito's mind jerking him awake.

Kirito moved back and unsheathe a knife he always had at hand.

"Eek." shriek a surprised Silica from Kirito suddenly rising from his hostile awakening.

Kirito calmed down as he sheathed the knife. Kirito looked at Silica and her limbs has grown back.

"Sorry, I am not use to this. I sleep alone im the woods so I always had to keep my guard up." Kirito said.

Silica sighed in relief.

"Sorry for waking you then..."

"What's wrong, Silica-san."

"It's..."

Silica blushed as she fiddled her fingers.

"I am not use to sleeping alone, I had Pina from the start to keep me company. I know this will sound childish, but will sleep with me?" Silica admitted.

Silica was red.

"I am scared of this world, I feels empty without someone at my side. I don't want to feel alone..."

Silica was silently crying.

Kirito had to process what she said.

Kirito had deja vū of what she said, it's not word for word what Sachi said. But, it was damn near close to what Silica meant.

"It's fine." Kirito dematerialized his sleeping bag and sent it back to his inventory.

Kirito sat by Silica patted her head.

"I don't mind, if I can ease your worries I sleep with you." Kirito grabbed her shoulders and the bacl of her back. Kirito forces themselves down on the two-person futon.

Kirito softly hummed as he gave comforting caresses to the back of Silica's head. Kirito's fingers being tangle between her brown locks.

"It's fine."

Silica seemed to relax as she felt the comfy feeling of Kirito's embrace.

Soon she feel asleep in Kirito's arms.

Kirito watched Silica serenely sleep in his arms, Kirito fell asleep soon afterwards.

The two teens falling asleep to the rhythm of their own breaths.

**End**

**0-0-0**

**A/N: Why did I make this fic? I just like to really like to write about to ship, I was inspired by ****Opening the door by furrballnerd and I just like Silica. Silica and Kirito will be a OOC here, but I'll try to do more with Kirito by making him sassy and Silica more proactive.**

**I changed how SAO works as a game, it's mechanic more based on something like Dragon Nest, Tera Online and Black Desert Online. But, used the DnD Classes as the other classes, I'll explore all of the classes eventually.**

**You're probably asking, "Why the fuck did you make Kirito a Tank Class, Knight instead of the edgy Ranger." One because it's predictable, and Second I want to explore the fact that these class type are usually snubbed by most players.**

**Also anyone could dual-wield in this version SAO, it's not a bullshit skill here, it's a feature.**

**There is no unique procedurally generated skill, just Class Skill and other stuff like Promoted Classes that gives uniquely diferent type of the same class. I'll reveal Kirito's class line eventually.****Leave a comment and favorite if you like this fic.**


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